Illuminated or lighted panels or instrument panels are used extensively in aircraft, space vehicles and in other applications. These panels can include numerous illuminated buttons, switches, indicator lights, displays and the like. Proper levels of illumination and visual acuity under different conditions can be critical, such as direct sun light, night time conditions, and during use of light amplifying vision aids, such as night vision goggles (NVG) or the like. Unwanted light leaks or escapes from an illuminated panel can adversely effect the use of night vision goggles and the like. The different illuminated buttons, switches, indicator lights and the like can be of multiple different colors that can have different meanings to a pilot. Therefore, the colors of the different buttons, switches and lights need to be accurate, clearly distinguishable on the same panel and uniform from one panel to another, so that a pilot or operator can properly operate an aircraft's systems and take appropriate actions, sometimes in fractions of a second without any hesitation. The different buttons, switches, lights or displays can also be etched or silk screened with lettering, labels or other symbols that aid a pilot or operator.
Current aircraft and space vehicles are becoming increasingly complex systems to operate and the workload on a pilot or operator can be extremely challenging at times. Accordingly, the illuminance under various conditions, the coloring, symbols and the like on the different buttons, switches, annunciator lights, and displays that permit a pilot to fly an aircraft and operate different systems of an aircraft or the like need to be accurate, uniform and free of defects.
Such panels are currently tested by placing a panel under test next to a standard panel and comparing the two panels visually. Accordingly, such evaluations can be time consuming and subject to human error. A darkroom is also required to perform the evaluation or comparison of the panels to prevent ambient lighting conditions from affecting the test results and to provide accuracy and uniformity from test to test and between different panels under test. Thus a separate darkroom must be maintained and the panels to be tested must be transported to the darkroom. Additionally, the standardized panel needs to be calibrated periodically to insure that its luminance and different colors have not deteriorated.
Accordingly, for the reason stated above, and for other reasons that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need for an apparatus and method to evaluate an illuminated panel under different conditions that occupies minimal space and is portable. There is also a need for an apparatus and method to evaluate an illuminated panel that is more efficient and less subject to human error and that may be automated or semi-automated. There is also a need for an apparatus and method to evaluate an illuminated panel that does not require periodic calibration of a standard panel.